Japanese officials have found 164 parasite-infected dogs crammed in a tiny house. Experts said that this is the latest case of animal hoarding due to poverty, isolation, and the country's aging population.
For the past years, there have been increasing reports of animal hoarding throughout the country which raised concerns among animal welfare groups and pet owners.
Dogs crammed in a tiny Japanese home
The 164 dogs were located in the 30-square-meter house in Izumo and were found due to complaints that authorities received from the neighbors. Kunihisa Sagami of Dobutsukikin, an animal protection group, said that the animals were crammed into shelves and under the tables and chairs.
"The entire floor was filled with dogs and all the floor space you could see was covered with feces," he said.
According to The Straits Times, the house was once visited by public officials seven years ago due to complaints of noise and foul smell, but the owner refused the officials to conduct an investigation at that time.
There were three people living in that house, but they said that they could not afford to spay and neuter the dogs that is why their numbers continue to increase.
But at last, the owners have agreed to give up the dogs to Mr. Sagami's group who will look for foster homes for the dogs after giving the animals the appropriate medical care they need.
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Increased animal hoarding in Japan
In Japan, there's an increase in the hoarding of animals which raised concerns on both the welfare of the animals and their owners, The Guardian reported.
Japanese authorities have received over 2,000 complaints about animal hoarding in houses in the year through March 2019, says the environmental ministry.
Their analysis of 368 cases revealed that around 30% of the owners were already over 70 years old, and a significant number of them already have dementia. Moreover, more than 50% of the people questioned said that they could not afford proper care for the dogs as they were living in "difficult" circumstances, namely poverty, poor health, and isolation.
In response to these concerns, the Japanese government has amended its law on animal welfare, forcing owners to neuter or spay their pets to avoid over-breeding. Also, the law has increased the penalties for those who will commit animal abuse. This law also allows an on-the-spot inspection of the area if they suspect that the owner practices cruelty on the animals.
A local government official said that "there is a tendency ... to treat issues around animals lightly, but if we don't approach the owners of these pets with a view to providing welfare, then we can't solve the problem."
This was not the first time that authorities witnessed animal hoarding in Japan. One incident involved 66 dogs which the 50-year-old owner visits every other day to feed. Another example was the hoarding of 238 cats in northern Japan discovered last March and the 163 cats that an elderly woman kept in her Tokyo home. Fortunately, they were all rescued by social groups.
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